Greeting card or folder



July 5, 1960' A. BARKER 2,943,416

'CREETING CARD OR FOLDER Filed March 19, 1958 2 She'ets-Shee't l entine/a 8 la f I /7 /4 IIIIII4 VIII/IIII/I/IA INVENTOR. Earle! 7 A rrrs y1960 A. BARKER 2,943,416

GREETING CARD OR FOLDER Filed March 19, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.filo in Bar/(er United States Patent GREETING CARD OR FOLDER Filed Mar.19, 1958, Ser. No. 722,598

Claims. (CI. 46-34) This invention relates to improvements in noveltygreeting cards or folders that have an action element associated withthe movable parts of the card or folder.

It is an object of the invention to provide an action card or folderthat has a spinner element arranged therewith for actuation by theopening and closing movements of the folding parts of the card. It iswithin a conception of the invention to associate certain physicalfeatures of the card or folder with the spinner element including jurtapositioning of said element with illustrative material that appearson the exposed faces of the card or folder.

The foregoing and other objects and novel features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings.

. In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views:

' Fig. 1 is a plan view of the card or folder in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the interior faces of the card that is shown inopen position.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of my card or foldershown in partially opened position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a further modified form of my invention,showing the card or folder in partially opened position Referring firstto Figs. 1-3 there is shown a greeting card or folder made from arectangular piece of light cardboard 8 which is preferably foldedlongitudinally along a centrally disposed crease line 9 and then foldedlaterally along a centrally disposed 'fold line 10 to divide the cardinto a front section 11 and a back section 12 each having a two-plyconstruction. As indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3 the front and backsections are swingable around the fold line 10 toward and away from eachother into the closed position shown in Fig. 1 and the open positionshown in Fig. 2.

A spinner element 13 is disposed between the sections 11 and 12, thesections being provided with registering cut away portions 14 and 15,respectively, to obtain free rotation of the spinner element 13throughout the complete folding action of the sections. The means forrotatably mounting the spinner element preferably comprises two rubberband strands having their intermediate portions 16 adhesively securedbetween the two-plys 17 and 18 of the spinner element 13. The upperportions of the rubber band strands are wound together to form aresilient twisted portion 19 that is anchored at its free end to a sideportion of one of the sections 12. The anchor means for the strands isobtained by forming a slit 20 in the inside ply of the card along thefold line 10 thereof, inserting the end portions of the rubber bandstrands in the slit, turning the said end portions back upon theinterior face of the inside ply of the section 12 and securing saidportion to said interior face by means of an adhesive strip 21 (Fig. 2).The pair of flexible strands are twisted together at 22 on the oppositeend of the spinner element "ice Band terminate in straight portions 23and 24, the straight portion 23 having its end inserted in a slot 25formed in the side edge of, the inner ply of the section 11, saidportion being turned back inside the inner ply and secured to theinterior face thereof by an adhesive strip 26. The straight portion 24is secured at its end to the inner ply of section 12 by inserting thatend into a slot 27 formed in the ply and turning the portion back uponthe interior face of the ply where it is secured thereto by an adhesivestrip 28.

It will, therefore be noted that the spinner element 13 is supportedbetween the sections on a rubber band consistingof two strands ofresilient material and that the spinner is secured to the intermediateportions of the strands, one end of said strands being wound togetherand secured to one section of the card to provide a twisted portion 19for the element whilst the other end of the strands are also twisted at22 and have straight end portions 23 and 24 each secured to one of thesections. Upon opening of the card, tension is increased in the twistedstrands 22 on one side of the spinner element, which strands areconnected to the sections, thus winding up the twisted portion 19 on theopposite side of the spinner element, and in so doing causing rotationof the spinner element in one direction. When the card sections areclosed the sections are moved together thus releasing the tension on thetwisted portion 22 and the built up tension in twisted portion 19 willbe released thus causing counter-rotation of the element. By opening andclosing the card: sections the spinner element will be caused to rotatein one direction and then the other producing many novel effects to theaction card.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the spinner element 13 is made a part of theactual design 29 applied to the illustrative faced the card, the cut outportions 14 and 15 serving also as a decorative feature of the cardwhilst securing full rotation of the spinner element in either directionof its movement when the folded card sections are opened or closed; 7

In Fig. 4 there is shown a modified form of my inven tion whichcomprises a back section 30 and a front section 31 secured togetheralong adjacent ends on a common fold line 32. A self-erecting support 33is mounted along the upper side of the card on the inside faces of thesections 30. andii3l; said. support comprising an arm 34 hingedlymountedto thesection-31by anintegralglue strip 35, said arm being hinged toanother arm 36 hinged to section 30 by an integral glue flap 37. Aspinner element 38 has a resilient, twisted band 39 fastened to one end,the outer end of the band being suitably secured to the hinged portionat the hinged connection between the arms 34 and 35. A pair ofnon-resilient, flexible strands 40 and 41 are twisted together at 42adjacent their connection to the spinner element 38, said strands being,respectively, secured at their outer ends to the sections 31 and 30 inany suitable manner. It will, therefore, be understood that as the cardis opened from its closed position the support will be self-erecting andmove outwardly from the sections, the relative movement of the sectionswinding up the twisted portions 42 thus transmitting rotary tension intothe twisted band 39 to spin the element 38 in one direction. Uponclosing movement of the two sections the wind up tension in the twistedband 39 will be decreased thereby permitting the twisted band 39 to turnthe spinner element in the opposite direction.

With reference to Fig. 5 the reference numeral 43 indicates a card backsection whilst the numeral 44 shows a card front section, said sectionsbeing secured together for swinging movement around a fold line 45. Anelongated hole 46 is formed through the back section 43 and haspositioned therein a spinner element 47 of somewhat the same contour asthe hole 46. The spinner element Patented July 5, 1960 is rotatablymounted in the opening 46 by means of a twisted, resilient band 48secured at one end to the spinner element and having its other endsecured to the section 43 at a central location with respect to theupper end of the opening 46; The lower end of the element. has a pair ofstrands of flexible non resilient material 49rand 50 secured to it by atwisted portion.51, the free ends of the strands being secured tosections 43 and 44, respectively. Upon opening and closing of the cardthe spinner element will be made to rotate in opposite directions withinthe opening 46 thus providing an attractive action element for afoldable greeting card.

Although certain embodiments of the present invention are hereindescribed and illustrated it is to be expressly understood that theinvention is not limited thereto. Various changes may be made in thedesign and the arrangements of parts and materials without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention, as will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A greeting card or folder having a front and a back section securedtogether along adjacent ends on a common fold line and swingabletherearound toward and away from each other, a spinner element disposedbetween the sections, a resilient, twisted band fastened to one end ofthe spinner element and having its other end anchored to a side portionof one of the sections, a pair of flexible strands fastened to theopposed end of the spinner ele ment, said strands being twisted togetheradjacent the element and each having a straight portion projectingbeyond the twisted portion, and an anchor means fastening the ends ofthe straight portions, one to a back section and the other to a frontsection on the side portions of the sections opposed to the side portionto which the twisted band is fastened.

2. A greeting card or folder having a front and a back section securedtogether along adjacent ends on a common fold line and swingabletherearound toward and away from each other, a self-erecting supporthaving two arms hinged together and one arm hingedly secured at its endto the inside face of one of the sections and the other arm hingedlysecured to the inside face of the other section along respective sideportions thereof, a spinner element disposed between the'sections, aresilient, twisted band fastened at one end of the spinner element andhaving its other end anchored to the central portion of the support, apair of flexible strands fastened to the opposite end of the spinnerelement, said strands being twisted together adjacent the element andeach having a straight portion beyond the twisted portions, and ananchor means fasten- 4 ing the ends of the straight portions, one to aback section and the other to a front section on the side portions ofthe sections opposed to the side portion to which the support is hinged.

3. A greeting card or folder having a front and a back section securedtogether along adjacent ends on a common line and swingable therearoundtoward and away from each other, a cut-out portion in at least one ofthe sec-' tions, a spinner element disposed between the sections androtatable within the cut-out portion, a resilient, twisted band fastenedto one end of the spinner element and having its other end anchored toaside portion of one of the sections centrally of the cut-out, portion,a pair of flexible strands fastened to the opposed end of the spinnerelement, said strands being twisted together adjacent the element andeach having a straight portion projecting beyond the twisted portions,and an anchor means fastening an end of each straight portion one to aback section and the other to a front section on the side portions ofthe sections opposed to the side portion to which the band is fastened.

4. In a greeting card or folder as set forth in claim 3 characterized bythe fact that the cut-out portion is in both thesections and inalignment with each other when the card is closed, and wherein theresilient, twisted band has its end anchored thereto in the fold linefor the sections.

5. A greeting card or folder having a front and a back section securedtogether along adjacent ends on a common fold line and swingabletherearound toward and away from each other, a pair of rubber bandstrands, a spinner element disposed between the sections and fastened tointermediate portions of the rubber band strands, the flexible strandson one side of the element being twisted together and secured at theirends to one of the sections along one side thereof, the opposed ends ofthe strands being also twisted together adjacent the spinner element andeach strand having a straight portion beyond the twisted portion, and ananchor means fastening the end of each straight portion one to a backsection and the other to a front section on the side portions thereofopposed to the side portions to which the twisted band portions arefastened.

Dillard Mar. 15, 1938 Barker Apr. 17, 1956

